Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Semana 74: In The World But Not Of The World

Semana 74: In The World But Not Of
The World

Hey family! This will probably be a
short letter. I attached a few pictures so I hope it will make up for the few
thousand words this email will lack. I'm glad you got my email last week from
Alvarado. She and her husband are saints, SAINTS I tell you! I cannot begin to
tell you how much they do for us week in and week out. They are definitely one
of the nicest families that I have met in my mission.

It was a decent week for the most
part this past week. It didn't really compare to the previous week when we had
that miracle baptism of Ramona. She was just an elect woman and it was so neat
to bring her the gospel. Last Monday was really fun though. We usually get
stuck in a routine of doing emails, shopping and washing clothes. By the time
that is all done we don't have any time left so it was a blast that we got to
go to Zion's National Park. We went there with the Alvarado's and Malory, who
is from the Spanish branch. We didn't have a ton of time to hike and
see all that Zion's has to offer but it was nice to get out and have some fun.
The one thing that disgusted me was the way girls dress now. I'm
convinced before my mission it was just not something I thought twice about but
at Zion's I was just disgusted at how it appeared as if mothers and
daughters were having competitions to see who could wear the shortest shorts
and look good. I felt embarrassed for some of the husbands there. It reminded
me of the scripture in John 17 that says, "I have given them thy word; and
the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not
of the world. (We as Latter-Day Saints)... are not of the world, even as I am
not of the world". It just made me thankful for all the teachings
and guidance our modern day prophets give us to lead and guide us in
how to dress and act!

On our way home a storm came in and
it poured down rain. The roads had small rivers going over them and it was just
a mess. The weather has been so weird here this summer. It has been cloudy and
humid some days, rainy and sometimes pretty warm. It has been strange but life
is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.

We walked a lot this week. It seems
like all of our investigators are turning into creyentes and don't want to
actually put their faith into action. I can't even begin to count how many
doors I've knocked this week. We have had to walk further to the parts of our
area that we didn't visit last transfer much because of the distance. It has
given me a chance to reflect a lot on the mission, what I can do to be a better
trainer and a better person in general. Sometimes I get frustrated that these
people are so evasive or hard headed but Christ never said this work would be
easy. I love in an excerpt from I read from a talk given by Elder Jeffery R.
Holland that said something to the effect that this work was never meant to be
easy. Why would we as missionaries, or Latter-Day Saints in general, think that
it would be easy when the price Christ paid for our salvation was so great. In
missionary work we are given such a small glimpse of the struggle Christ
went through and for that I'm ever indebted. It is the struggle, the climb that
makes the sweet moments so sweet and the successful moments
so exhilarating.

We had a meeting with Elder Terry
Wade of the Seventy this week. It is such a special feeling to be in a room
with such righteous and chosen men of God. We met to discuss how we
can better the Spanish work here in the Sunset stake. Only in Utah could you
have a stake meeting and an area seventy would be invited to that
meeting.

Well I have to run. I got more out
than I expected! Some quick thoughts are:

. PEGGY! I love you! Thank you for
all the food you sent with Sister Ward. The sisters in the visitor center were
drooling when I came in. I got lucky it was all there. ;D

P.S. I will be finished with your letter soon!

GRANDPA Ellingson!!! Happy 75th
Birthday to you!!!

Aubrey, Kati, Hannah and Kellyn...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I know it's late but consider this as close to being on time as
I can be!

Make it a great week! Serve someone
in need. In the grocery store, at home, or where ever you find yourself, find
someone in need and help them. Ask yourself, have I done any good in the world today? Vaya con Dios.